Sake –plus- the demon-eater –plus- the folklorist –equals- what?

Chapter 4

"Youko! Lord Sugino! Come quick! Haruka's in labor!"" Youko's fox ears picked up Kantarou's faint call.

"Huh? Kantarou?" Youko questioned a loud.

"What about Kantarou?" Sugino said.

"Haruka's in trouble!" Youko said as he dashed off to the house.

"Wait, what?" The white tengu said as he held Muu-chan tight and ran after the fox monster.

"Kantarou!" Youko said as she slid open the paper door. She found Kantarou and Haruka right in front of her; the demon-eater was leaning on the silver haired with his arm on Kantarou's shoulders.

"Hey." Haruka said weakly as he tried to smile. But another contraction hit him, making him sink to his knees.

"Haruka, just hold on a little bit longer." Kantarou said as he let Haruka sit down. His silver eyebrows were scrunched together very tightly that it looked liked it was knitted together.

"Well?! Why are you all standing?! Get Suzu and Dr. Yuki!" Kantarou raised his voice. Sugino and Youko quickly nodded and went their own ways; Sugino flew to Suzu's home while Youko dialed Dr. Yuki's number.

"Kantarou…" Haruka's voice had a hint of relief, since his contraction subsided for the time being, and a hint of, "Thank you, Kantarou."

"You're welcome Haruka." Kantarou gently kissed his tengu on the lips, getting his hints. After a long moment of kissing and staring into each other's eyes, someone cleared his throat to get the couple's attention, which did the trick. In front of them were a beat red Suzu and an embarrassed white tengu.

"H-Haruka? Are you all right?" Suzu aske din her sweet voice after she ran up to the black tengu and sat next to him. Haruka gave Suzu a smile.

"I'm fin-" Haruka swore as his contractions were coming more quicker this time. Suzu gasped.

"Haruka!"

"I've got a hold of doctor Yuki! He said he'll be coming here as fast as he can!" Youko said, panting. After she hung up the phone, she ran through the house to get back to Kantarou.

"I don't think he's going to make it in time." Haruka said as he panted.

"He will Haruka! He's as fast as a cheetah-" Suzu said as she put on a determind face. Just as she said cheetah, the front door opened and quick steps were heard through the home.

"Did someone call?" Dr. Yuki said with a smile. The four gaped while Suzu beamed.

"Doctor Yuki!"

"Hey Suzu." He said then as quickly as he came, he put on a serious face. He kneeled in front of the black tengu.

"So Haruka, you must breathe in and breathe out, like so." Doctor Yuki demonstrated to the black tengu. Haruka copied the doctor with confusion written all over his face.

"He came so quickly…" Youko, Kantarou, and Sugino awed in unison. Muu-chan was copying doctor Yuki as well in the white tengu's arms, liking how the doctor's hair flew up when she exhaled.

"Good Haruka. Keep doing that. Suzu? Youko? Can you get me a lot of towels and a tub of water, please?" The two girls nodded as they went about their task. Youko jogged outside to fetch a large bucket to fill water in. Suzu quickly walked to the bathroom to gather a big stack of towels from the cupboard.

"Now, Sugino? Can you leave that door open just a crack to let some light in? That's good. Thank you." Doctor Yuki said as Sugino closed the sliding doors that were right in front of them.

"Here Dr. Yuki." Suzu said when she came back with her stack.

"Thank you Suzu. And the water?"

"R-right here." Youko said as she struggled to bring the tub of water inside the house. But she manages to put it down safely besides the doctor without spilling any of it.

"Now girls, could you wait in the living room?" Dr. Yuki asked. Suzu pouted.

"But doctor-"

"No, no. I don't want you see this. Alright Suzu?" Suzu sadly nodded then walked with Youko to the living room, leaving the four alone.

"But Dr. Yuki-" Kantarou started. The doctor shook his head.

"This wasn't any ordinary pregnancy, you know that, and Suzu is young, she might have freaked out to the point of fainting if she stayed…" Doctor Yuki said as he crossed his arms across his chest and closed his eyes as he did.

"And there is the point of too many people in the room. That would be really troublesome for the mother and the child!" He added with a smile.

"Now, Haruka, I want you to open your legs. Can you do that for me?"

"Hah…what?!" Haruka breathed.

"As wide as you can. I need to see how your baby is doin'." Doctor Yuki said, his smile not changing. Haruka stared at the doctor, confused and in pain.

"You're baby could die if the parent stays in labor for too long." The doctor said in a serious tone as he was almost right in front of the demon-eater's face. Haruka gulped and Kantarou shuddered.

"Well doctor…hah…what do you mean-" Haruka started, a little shaky. Doctor Yuki sat back and held up a finger.

"Oh! You should have told me earlier! Kantarou, open his legs for me, will ya?"

"O-ok." Kantarou slowly spread out Haruka's legs.

"Good Kantarou. Now let's see…"

"Wait, doctor? What is that black thing?" Sugino said, couldn't help but look since he was right there. At Haruka's opening, there was a big-round-black-thing.

"What?! AH!" It seems that Haruka's deep breathing wore off for he had the worse contraption he had ever felt than the last time. The second after Haruka screamed, doctor Yuki was rushing to prepare for the birth. He layed a few towels under Haruka's bottom, while also undoing the demon-eater's robe, put on some gloves from his white lab coat's invisible pockets, and a mask.

"Now Haruka, I want you to take a deep breath and push with all of you might." Doctor Yuki instructed. Haruka took a deep breath and- (you know what next…)

"Couldn't we have done a C-section? …Because-" Kantarou asked.

"Well, it seems like you fellow here has the right equipment," The doctor paused to wink, "and it's going smoothly. Good, Haruka. Now take another deep breath and push!" Sugino in the back shivered and looked away. Kantarou frowned.

"What do you mean he has the right-"

"Shut it, Kantarou!" Haruka said through gritted teeth. Kantarou shut his mouth. In the other room, Suzu and Youko prayed this would go well…will it? Is this too abnormal for a male tengu to conceive with a human and give birth to it? Will the baby be mutant or will it be a stillbirth? Is this too much for Haruka and Haruka's body to bear? Find out on the next episode of Sake + the demon-eater + the folklorist = what? …Nah! Just kidding! Read on after the 9 Xs! =P

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Five long hours past. Youko and Suzu were playing a card game to past the time but they couldn't help worrying about the screaming and howling of Haruka's voice. They did hear doctor Yuki say some reassuring words from time to time.

"I hope Haruka's all right." Suzu said as she looked away from their game to where the two left the four.

"If you don't hear any screaming from Dr. Yuki or Kantarou, they're fine!" Youko said with a sweat drop to take their worrying off of their minds.

"You really think so Youko?" Suzu asked in her sweet voice.

"Mmhm! There! Now it's your turn!" Youko's fox ears showed as she said this. Suzu put down a card and a big smile was on her face after she looked at what she done.

"I won Youko! I won!"

"So you did! Good job Suzu!" Youko turned into her fox form as they both hugged each other to celebrate. In the other room, celebration was soon to come.

"Alright Haruka, just a bit more. That's it. Keep on going." Doctor Yuki said. It seems like Haruka's screaming wasn't blasting the doctor's eardrums, except Sugino and Kantarou had to close their ears. Muu-chan hid in her husband's robe, her eyes closed tight and her body shivered from fear. Haruka's fingers were clamped tightly around Kantarou's thigh and his other hand was clenched into a fist. You would think when this is all over, or if it would end successfully, the result might be a bruised thigh or a bleeding palm. XP

"OK, Haruka! I almost have him! Just one more big push and it'll be done." Doctor Yuki encouraged the demon-eater. Haruka was panting heavily and leaned his head on Kantarou's shoulder for support.

"Just one more Haruka! You can do it!" The folklore whispered in the black tengu's ear. Haruka tiredly shook his head.

"I…I'm too tired…I can't…" Haruka said in a strained voice. The demon-eater gasped and tightly shut his eyes as something liquid and dark leaked between his legs.

"Ah! Haruka!" Kantarou said with concern as he held Haruka's face with the cup of his hands. The black tengu's eyelids were closing and his body was going limp.

"Is that…blood?" Sugino breathed. Doctor Yuki gaped and lowered his head.

"Kantarou…" Haruka said, almost in a whisper.

"You know, Haruka? I forgot to tell you something." Kantarou said in a soft tone as he laughed awkwardly. The folklore gave the demon-eater a passionate kiss.

"I love you too, Haruka." Kantarou choked as his eyes began to sting. Haruka tried to smile at what his lover said but his energy gave away from him. Before his eyes closed, another coat of dark liquid poured out of him.

"H-Haruka!" Haruka heard the folklore scream then couldn't hear anything else after that. He didn't feel Kantarou's tears fall on his cheeks or the tight embrace of the silver haired. He didn't hear Dr. Yuki calling out to him or the light pats on his cheek. All he heard, or imagined, was a cry.